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Device not connecting to GPS

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‎08-29-2021 00:02 - edited ‎08-29-2021 00:04

‎08-29-2021 00:02 - edited ‎08-29-2021 00:04

The Fitbit device does not, or at least very rarely, connect to GPS when I run. This leads to highly inaccurate results and it is very frustrating. Example: on the rare occasions that it works, I run a quick 3 km route (3 km as shown on device) in 15-16 minutes in a to me comfortable pace. When it does not connect and instead measures by step length, it takes about 19 minutes for the device to reach 3 km even if I run at my fastest pace. (I also run longer and slower routes, which might explain the recorded stride length - one of the few runs where the device connected to my GPS this summer was a 15 km route.)

 

I have tried everything, I think, both when it comes to triple checking GPS, position and app settings on my phone to cleaning the Fitbit and several other things. Moving starting points around in case my house is in some kind of GPS shadow. The outcome seems completely arbitrary, but 19 out of 20 times it does not work (this has become a little better the last half year , to be fair; it used to be 100% not connected runs.)

 

Even when the device says "connected" as I start my run (which may take some time to achieve, fiddling back and forth with the device and the app) I soon understand from the time it takes me to run a "km" according to the watch that it must be disconnected again, and quite right, when I sync after the run the app does not show GPS route, or sometimes also just a faulty short line. 

 

This is very demotivating. What are my options? Buy a new (not Fitbit) exercise watch? 

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‎09-02-2021 10:30

‎09-02-2021 10:30

Hey there, @Saflor. Thanks for the details and troubleshooting steps performed before posting here.

 

I understand where your frustration is coming from. When your device doesn't connect to GPS, the distance will be calculated on your stride length. I recommend you to perform a restart on your device as instructed on this help article. If your Inspire HR is still having difficulties connecting to GPS, let me know your phone's model and a roughly date when your Inspire HR stopped connecting to your phone's GPS.

 

Hope this helps.

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